Rescued by a centaur A Kid Icarus FF
by AuthorCentor
Summary: After a very unfortunate set of events, Pit finds himself in a small cottage belonging to a young centaur. Now he just has to get back to Skyworld. (Slight Pit X OC) (contains two OCs)(DISCONTINUED)
1. Chapter 1

Pit enjoyed the wind racing and fizzing through his feathers and hair. It reminded him of a hand stroking them. As much as he liked to just close his eyes and let the feeling sink in, he had to have his eyes locked to the ground. Even after Hades was defeated, the monster who didn't return to the underworld were still causing trouble. He couldn't help but admire how independent they were. They didn't have a commander anymore so they resort to taking things in their own hands. And they seem to do a pretty good job with it. „There!" He noticed a monster that looked like a single, pinkish eyeball with tentacles to move around with. He grabbed the bow from his back and fired an arrow made of pure light. The arrow didn't miss and the Monoeye exploded. The angel grabbed the hearts that fell to the ground before getting back up.

As he did so he put his bow back on his back and the collected hearts in a small bag under his toga. Said bag was already filled with a few hearts that shone like stars at night. Pit smiled and closed the bag. „Not bad!" He heard an all too familiar voice. The white-winged angel turned around and noticed Pittoo behind him. His black wings seemed almost silvery-blue in the soft sunlight and his normally red eyes had a slight pink shine to them. „I never miss a target!" Pit laughed cheerfully. His twin flapped his wings harder and was soon next to him. Pit noticed slight drops of sweat on Dark Pits forehead and cheeks. Why wouldn't he sweat? The summer sun was unforgiving this year (probably because someone couldn't appease Pyrrhons ego) and Pittoo had not only black wings but also black clothes.

„You wanna take a break?" The blue-eyed angel asked. His twin was about to shake his head, when they noticed a crack in the earth under them. There hasn't been an earthquake for months so... „What is this?" Pittoo asked the silent question in Pits head. „Let's check it out!" Before the dark angel could open his mouth, Pit closed his sparkling wings and dove towards the gorge. One hand held his golden laurel crown to keep it from falling off his head. He was able to see the ground of the crack so it was no door to the Underworld. Pit felt relieve rush from his heart through his entire body. Mere meters before he hit the ground, he opened his wings and float down like a piece of paper. His twin followed. Their wings stopped glowing as Palutena and Viridi withdrew the Power of Flight from their respective angels. _„You better check this out. Just to be sure that it isn't a way in and out of the Underworld."_ „Already on it, Lady Palutena!" Pit smiled and stepped towards the edge of the gorge. He felt strong gusts of wind rushing through the opened stone and earth like a stream of rushing water.

„That's weird." He mumbled and fell on his knees. „We can't fly down, that's for sure." Dark Pit stepped to his side and looked down as well. _„Not that you could fly at all."_ The voice of the Goddess of Nature was followed with a short and quiet sigh. „How about we just float down?" Pit suggested and opened his wings as if he wasn't expecting an answer. „Are you crazy?" The dark angel grabbed his shoulder and pulled him away from the edge: „That'd kill you!" „Don't worry. If things get out of hand Lady Palutena can always get me out of there." A confident smile formed on his lips. „You sure?" Pit nodded and, begrudgingly, Pittoo took back his hand. He had, even when he didn't want to admit it, grown a certain appreciation for the blue-eyed angel. „I'll stay up here."

The white-winged angel nodded and started his climb down. While doing so he pressed his wings against his body as tight as he could. The winds hit his side as if they were trying to push him away but the angel kept climbing down. He grunted under his breath as the wind got stronger and stronger. Above him he could see the face of his twin. The expression on it was a mix of worry and uncertainty if that was really such a good idea. Both emotions were so unusual and so seemingly impossible for the black-winged angel that it almost made Pit of all angels challenge his actions. It's too late to turn back now, he thought and looks down instead of up. The bottom was clearly visible but it could be just an illusion or made of a material that wasn't hard, solid rock. A particular powerful gust of wind blew one of his feet of the rock on which he had found safety. He heard Lady Palutena's frightened gasp and looked for another ledge. But as he did so, the ledge under his other foot broke under his weight.

Now it was him who gasped. _„Pit!"_ „I've got this, Lady Palutena!" Even though he addressed the goddess of the light, he was more trying to calm himself down. He had come far but the ground was still so far down. His heart pounded as fast, if not faster than, Phos's and Lux's hooves. _„You've climbed enough! I better get you out of there."_ Palutena that moment the last stones holding him cracked, he lost his grip and the before calming wind now howled in his ears. As if they were some wolves, waiting for their prey to make the wrong move, the winds caught him and threw him around like he was just a small leaf. Pit screamed, not noticing his golden crown getting ripped off his head.


	2. Chapter 2

Pit's eyelids were as heavy as iron. His body felt like it was out of his control. He felt nothing, he heard nothing. His memories were a blur and felt like they were not his own. _Where am I? Hello?_ He asked as if the endless darkness would answer him which, of course, it didn't. _Can someone hear me? Helloooo! Somebody! Anybody!_ He sighed inside and decided to start another try to wake up. It still didn't work. Was he...? No! He can't be! This wasn't the Underworld. Then again, where was he? His thoughts turned in his head around his question over and over again until he started to feel the ground beneath him. It was itchy, poked him in different places, warm and dry yet it wasn't uncomfortable. Quite the opposite actually. More and more of Pit's senses came back to him. His nose was struck by the strong smell of herbs. He couldn't pinpoint exactly what kind of herbs he smelled except for the smell of lavender. _Am I at Viridi's place?_ He remembered all too well that the goddess was a sucker for lavender and flowers in general. But mostly lavender. Then again... As much as Viridi loved plant life, she never had real herbs growing in her palace.

Around Pit's head he felt something strong almost like a bandage. It covered his forehead but not his eyes. One of his wings felt numb. The other one seemed to be fine. Pit groaned lightly as he finally opened his eyes before squinting them. His whole world was a blur but after a few seconds it became clearer. He wasn't at Viridi's palace, that was for sure. Everything from the walls to the shelves and the high table ,that was placed at the right side of the room, was made of wood. From the ceiling hang little bottles with liquid in them. On the table laid different herbs, being held together in small 'packages' by thin strings. There were also small water bottles and a mortar which seemed to be made of black marble. The stick for crushing the herbs, made from the same material, laid beside it.

The angel now knew on what he laid on. Hay. He laid on a small bed completely made out of fresh hay. He moaned as he tried to sit up. His muscles felt like they hadn't moved for years and his skin burned when he moved. It felt like when he was back in the volcano. The floor of the cottage, if you can even call it a floor, was nothing but dirt. The white-winged angel noticed hoof prints in the dirt about the size of his hand. This was definitely **not** a palace. No god or goddess would ever even consider living in such a small and dirty house! Especially not with a horse! Pit looked over his shoulder. His right wing was stretched out, being held like this with a thick stick. His normally white feathers were slightly brown due to dirt hanging on them and here and there a straw of hay got caught between them. Pit sighed and pulled one out to look at it, hissing in pain as his skin burned. How did he get here? Wasn't he...? Pit closed his eyes and tried to remembered. He remembered a small canyon and a storm, wolves in his ears and then... Nothing. There was just a cut.

„Oh! Your awake!" At the new voice, Pit jumps around and stares at the person now standing in the door. It was a tall, young woman but due to the darkness (some light made it through the wooden walls but they were only small beams) he was unable to see details. He guessed that she was about as tall as Palutena, perhaps a bit taller. However, her legs and ears seemed different somehow. „Yep!" He smiled but the smile quickly turned into a painful grimace. The person quickly came by his side allowing the angel to see her more clearly. She wasn't a human nor a goddess. Sure, her upper body looked like that of a human but out of the sides of her skull grew long, seemingly fluffy ears. They were dark brown and stood on edge as Pit showed his pain.

She carried herself on four muscular legs with big hooves which are being almost completely covered by dark brown, almost black, fur. Pit noticed a few small scars in her fur. Her body was pretty muscular in general. The fur was dark brown but on her flanks were white 'spots' as if someone powdered them. A hairy tail lashed through the air behind her. Pit's eyes widened. The person in front of him was some sort of human-horse-thing! „Where does it hurt?" Her voice was soft yet firm at the same time. Pit shook his head to get rid of his confusion and surprise. He immediately regretted the decision and moaned. The hybrid bit her lip and furrowed her brow. She laid her lower body next to the hay however it looked more like she was letting herself fall with her legs conveniently under her. „Where does it hurt?" She repeated calmly. „My neck... It's burning." Without losing another word, she walked towards her table, grabbed one of the water bottles and put some of the freezing water on his neck. He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. „Better?" The pain became less and less. „Yes," he turned his head and smiled: „Thank you." „No need to thank me, But next time, you better look for something better to crash-land in than stinging-nettles, hm?" She chuckled and closed the water bottle. Pit laughed slightly, his cheeks turning red due to embarrassment and one hand wandering almost all on it's own to his neck. It still stung but not as much as before. „I guess your right..." The human-horse-thing stood up and put the bottle back to where it stood before. „What happened to you? Did you upset the wrong god? Is this your punishment?" The questions fell out of Pits mouth like a waterfall. She had turned her back on him but one of her ears turned in his direction like it was controlled by a joystick. „Punishment? Um no?"


	3. Chapter 3

„Punishment? Um no?" The centaur now turned around completely. „But... Your an animal!" „Uh I was born this way. Centaurs don't really have a connection with the gods like humans do." She sighed. Pit eyed her up than he remembered something. When he was young and couldn't sleep because of thunderstorms for example, Palutena would always tell him stories the humans tell about the gods, angels and other 'divine creatures'. He vaguely remembered a story about a horse-man that stole away any woman and child he wanted before being struck down by a heroic hero. „So... Your a centaur?" He asked and unconsciously leaned away from her. She nodded and stepped closer, not noticing how unconformable the young angel felt all of the sudden. Pit avoided her dark eyes and started to play with his fingers: „A-Aren't you suppose to be... Evil?" „Evil?!" He flinched at the sudden volume change.

The long ears of the centaur flopped back and her tail swung from side to side that Pit could hear the air hissing. „I-I only meant..." „How dare you!" He grabbed his golden bow that laid beside his hay-bed and his muscles tensed up. The centaur went on: „How dare you insult my race with those filthy lies!" Pit's blue eyes stayed focused on her: „I'm sorry but I only know the stories I've been told." The muscles under her fur and skin were clearly visible and Pit awaited for her to pounce but that never came. Instead she just closed her eyes, took a deep breath before opening them again. „So... These mendacious myths have found their way to Angel-Land?" Pit lowered his bow: „Actually it's Skyworld now." „I can't believe it." She said, ignoring Pit's comment. A long, quite break found it's way between them. „I'm sorry. I shouldn't call you to account for those stories." The hybrid's left ear twitched. The angel lowered his weapon back to the ground and nodded: „It's okay." The centaur's hoof scratched on the ground and she smiled. Her cheeks turned a pinkish tone.

„That reminds me: What's your name?"

„The name's Nerolia."

„Nerowlia? Nerulia?"

The centaur chuckled slightly at Pit's attempts: „Just call me Nero, okay?" „That's a really cool name, Nero." Pit commented: „I'm Pit." Nero's ears twitch as she heard the name. She heard stories about an angel that not only defeated the goddess Medusa two times but also defeated the lord of the Underworld, Hades. „Pit? You mean **the** Pit? **The** Pit that single-handedly saved the world?" „Yep that's me." The white-winged angel smiled and scratched the back of his head, flinching at the sharp pain running through his body as he did so: „Though I didn't do it all alone. I had Lady Palutena, Viridi and Pittoo helping me." „Uhm, gesundheit?" „No no, he is my... Let's just say it's a really long story." „Anyways... Let me take a look at your head." She looked at the bottle hanging from the ceiling and jumped on her hind legs to take one of them. Then she walked over to Pit, let her lower body fall on the ground and removed the bandage covering his forehead. The wound had already started to heal but a little help from the outside would be necessary. „Ow! That burns!"

„It is suppose to burn. That shows it's healing." „Aww man..." Pit sighed: „And I thought the Underworld was hot."

Nero chuckled and carefully dabbed the liquid from the bottle onto the wound on his temporal: „Don't be such a crybaby." „I'm not! I've been in enough battles to not be... Anymore that is." He huffed. Nero couldn't help but admire the warriors bravery when she thought of said battles. She had been involved in one war, and only one, and that had been enough for her to choose to focus on herbs and healing instead of fighting. That's were she got the scars from. After she treated the wound, she hung the bottle back onto the ceiling. „You must be really brave than."

Pit's cheeks turned red and he turned his head slightly away to hide it. Then he realized something was missing. „My laurel!" He yelped suddenly and let his hand run through his brown hair. He felt no cold gold on his head: „Oh this is bad! This is really, really bad!" His voice cracked in places as he looked hastily around the small room.

„What? What is it?" The centaur turned around as well even though she had no idea what to look for. „My golden laurel-crown! You must have seen it when you found me!" „Well, uh, n-no. I-I guess not. All I found was your bow and a few broken shards of tinted glass." Pit sat up and was about to stand up but Nerolia pushed him back. „Stay still. You shouldn't be up and running yet." „But I need to find it! Without it I can't return to Skyworld." All Nero could bring out after that was a simple „Oh." before she took a short glance to the door. She will have to look for that crown of his. He'd never make it to the canyon, which she when the crack opened, decided to call Windy Hollow. Not in this condition. The centaur let out a short sigh before pushing Pit lightly into the hay. „You'll stay here and I'll go get it." „But..." „Can't hear you! I'm already outside!" With that the centaur made it's way to the door but before she could open it, someone got to it first. Pit could only see a gray, huge bird fly in and stopping by a short head before the table with Nerolia's things. It was a hybrid too but not a centaur. It was some sort of bird-human. It had neither arms nor hands. Instead it got two dark-gray wings with different pattern all over them, where it's hands should be. Silvery long hair grew from her head and as she jumped around to face Nero, Pit saw her yellow, eagle-like eyes. „Nero! You'll never guess what I just saw in Windy Hollow! I saw a-" The newcomer stopped and stared at Pit with confusion: „How did you get here so quick?"


	4. Chapter 4

Dark-Pit growled under his breath. The wind clashed into his face and his hair poked him in the eye no matter how many times, he put them back. _Why can't those stupid gods do something by themselves for once? Why do I have to do this dirty work while they can stay in their pretty, little palaces?_ He thought to himself, let himself fall on a bigger rock and his arm cleaned his forehead of the sweat running over it. He hated summer. Especially the heatwaves that come with summer. He flinched at the sudden voice of Viridi ringing through his head: _Maybe because these stupid gods could wipe you out like it was nothing._ Dark Pit grumbled something under his breath while Palutena added her two cents: _Yes. And the sooner we find Pit, the sooner you don't have to do our dirty work anymore._ „Yeah,yeah... Whatever." The dark angel looked over to the few centurions Palutena gave him as, as she put it, „help". As irony has it, they were more of a handicap to him. They constantly asked what they're suppose to do even though it was obvious. And they seemed to be colorblind. „Pit! Captain! Sir!" A huge, bulky centurion stomped towards him and the dark-winged angel unconscious compared them to an elephant with fancy armor: „For the last time, I am not-!" he broke off as he noticed the golden laurel in the centurion's hands. _That would explain why I can't reach him._ Palutena mumbled as Dark Pit grabbed said laurel. „Where have you found this?" It didn't seem to be broken or anything. A few scratches here and there, yes, but nothing big.

 _We should really pick something less easy to fall off._ Viridi said and the angel could hear the snark towards the goddess of light in her voice.

„In a bush of stinging-needles." With that, the centurion pointed to his fellow comrades and a big „field" of stinging-needles. Said comrades searched through the plants, hissing at the sharp pain running through their flesh. Dark Pit rolled his eyes at the sight before turning back to the first centurion: „Have you found anything else?" „Only a few heart-shards. Should we keep searching?" „Yes!" The angel snapped, his eyes burning out of annoyance. The big warrior flinched, nodded quickly and stomped back to the others.

 _Viridi? Can't you move the stinging-needles away?_

 _Are you kidding? This is hilarious! I mean, look at them! Brave, imperturbable soldiers being taken down by such small and, might I add, adorable plants! It just goes to show that nature is still stronger than any other force._

 _It would make things a lot easier though._

„And it would make finding Pit a lot faster." Pittoo added and looked at the golden headgear in his hands. As his twin hit the first stone, which apparently caused him to unconscious, a sharp pain rushed through the dark angel. He still felt it in the back of his head and the goddess' voices were everything but smoothing. _Urgh, alright... But only because I feeling nice today._ With that, the plants moved the leaves moved away. The dark-winged angel stood up and stepped next to the centurions. The plants were slightly crushed. Some of the stems were cracked. Something or someone definitely landed here... Dark Pit leaned closer as he noticed prints on the ground that lead out of the gorge. He followed the hoof prints and leaned down. The prints were the size of his stretched out hand and they seemed new. „Centurions!" He lifted his voice and turned to them: „Follow those hoof prints! Tell me immediately when you see anything related to Pit, got it?" They nod and did as Dark Pit ordered them too. _You should follow them too..._ Palutena advised causing Dark Pit to, yet again, sigh. _You owe-_ „I know!" He snapped at the goddess and walked after the warriors. The little wings on their helmets buzzing like bee-wings. The angel huffed. Why can they fly with those wings, but his own refuse to work?

The dark-winged angel suddenly noticed a shadow. It was only in his peripheral vision but he noticed it. He sharply turned around. The shadow was flying over them, looking down. At first he thought it was just a bird, an eagle of some sort, but it was too big... He narrowed his eyes and drew his silvery bow. The shadow began circling over the gorge, their wings flapping from time to time. Dark Pit recalled that only vultures circled their prey... Vultures and harpies... Dark Pit had read books about them in case he needed to fight one so he knew most of their strategies when it comes to fighting. Harpies were notorious for killing their prey by first scratching said prey until they could no longer fly (if they couldn't to begin with that is) then lifting them in the air and letting them fall to their deaths. The books said their claws could easily cut cloth and skin. The angel got ready to shoot, focusing on his target and fired. The harpy yielded to the arrow and hissed. Yet, it didn't attack like Dark Pit had predicted. Was it waiting for the rest of their swarm to come? Why would they? The angel was alone since the centurions went without him. Was the winds too strong? He didn't know how strong harpy-wings were. They were definitely bigger than his own wings and perhaps that made them stronger. While angel wings are based on magic, harpy wings are mostly muscles and bones. Dark Pit shook his head. No time to think about that now!

The harpy still didn't attack. The angel tensed the bowstring and focused on his target. Sweat ran over his eyebrow as he let said bowstring go. The golden arrow flew through the air and hit the harpy. He heard it yelping before turning around. Dark Pit watched it fleeing, hoping it or any of their kind wouldn't come.


	5. Chapter 5

„How did you get here so quick?" The bird-human lifted one of her feet which looked like hawk-talons. Sharp claws and everything. She pointed with one toe at the confused angel. "W-What are you talking about, Jespa?" Nerolia stepped next to the hybrid whose name was apparently Jespa. "He shot me!" She put down her talon and opened one wing to reveal her slightly burned feathers. Her yellow eyes seemed to glow as she looked at Pit again. The angel gulped and made himself as small as he could. "Calm down. He was here the entire time. Your eyes must be playing tricks on you." Jespa shot a glance towards the centaur: "My eyes never lied to me, Nero. I know what I saw." Her feathers ruffled: "Or do you accuse me of lying?" "I am not accusing you of anything." Nerolia lifted her hands and held them in front of her sympathetically. "Then how do you explain my feathers?" The two started to caught in a heated argument as Pit thought about Jespa's words. He indeed had been here the whole time... Then who could...? "Pittoo!" The two hybrids turned their heads as he yelled. "We need to go to that canyon! Right now!" The white-winged angel shot up from the hay and was immediately greeted by a sick feeling. Nerolia quickly hurried to his side so he could prop himself on her back. "Take it slow, Pit. What are you talking about?" "Pittoo. He was the one who shot you, Jespa." He turned his blue gaze to the harpy: "We need to get to him before he returns to Skyworld. Please. He is my only way back to Skyworld."

The dark brown/white centaur bit her lip and sighed. "Alright but you are not going to walk." Jespa huffed: "I am not caring him." Her claws scratched the ground under them causing Pit to stare at them. Secretly he was thankful for her antipathy. Nerolia nodded and with a small hand gesture told them to follow her out of the cottage. Pit still with his hand on her fur-covered back, walked out and squinted his eyes. The sun was starting to set behind the trees. "Come on! We need to hurry!" "Jespa, go on and hold them up." The harpy nodded, flared her wings and flew into the orange and violet sky. The angel put both his hands on her back and lifted himself on it. The shoulders of her horse body were broader than he had expected making it harder for him to fall off as she started to walk to the direction that Jespa had taken. It was a pretty slow so Pit leaned over her shoulder: "Hurry up!" Nerolia looked back at him with an uncertain look on her face. "Please!" He added. The centaur took a deep breath: "Hold on, okay?" Pit nodded and laid his hands on her shoulders. His legs were squeezed against her belly as Nerolia fell into an inconvenient trot and a few steps later a gallop. While the trot was rough and uneven to say the least, her gallop was like that of a rocking horse. Her whole spine was moving like a single wave. Her hooves hit the ground like she wanted to create earthquakes with every step.

Around them the trees, grass and the environment in general transformed into a blur of greens and sometimes browns from the barks. Pit made sure to avoid the few low hanging branches. However his opened wing made the whole thing harder. More than a few times, he could feel the leaves stroking over his wing (a bit of the numbness had worn off). They arrived at a roaring river parting the forest. Nerolia stopped at the edge, her white flanks quivered from exhaustion. Jespa hovered over them. "Jespa! Take him to Windy Hollow." "What?" Pit leaned forward, his face turning white as he remembered the harpy's claws. "I'm sorry, Pit. But I can't carry you through the river like this and flying is faster." Before the angel could open his mouth, he felt a pair of talons around his waist. He yelped. "Urgh, you're heavy." Jespa growled under her breath as she lifted the angel off the centaur's back. Still the two made it over the river. "Don't wait for me!" Nerolia yelled over the rushing water. Jespa nodded and flew up, over the treetops. Pit looked down and felt his stomach turn. She wouldn't let him fall, right? He was a nice angel after all. He didn't shoot her. "There they are!" Pit's head shot up and he saw a few spots flying off in the distance. "Are you sure? They could just be birds." Jespa looked down at him, her eyes were squinted to mere slits: "Who has the better eyes here, angel?" "Y-You of course." He whispered just loud enough for her to hear and understand. Jespa flapped her wings stronger and fly towards the "birds" who soon turned into a group of centurions being led by a single, dark angel. Jespa suddenly stopped midair, meters away from the skyworldwarriors. "Can't we go closer?" Jespa shook her head: "No, I will not risk the rest of my wings. It must work from here." Pit took as much air as he could into his lunges and screamed his twin's name until his lunges burned. But the dark-winged angel didn't even twitch as Jespa told him since he could never see that. "Pittoo! I'm here!" The warriors kept flying towards the clouds and with that, towards Skyworld. As they reached them, Pit felt like his stomach was ripped into pieces and kneaded into a pretzel at the same time. They didn't hear him... He didn't even noticed as Jespa landed on a small hole in the treetops.

Nerolia was standing there. Her fur, vest (that she wore) and skin were still wet from her fight with the water. As she saw Pit's expression, she stepped closer: "Oh Pit... I am so sorry."

Jespa sat him down and landed soon after. The angel didn't comment and just lifted himself on her back. His legs felt almost dead. He was tired. He wanted this day to be over already.

The hybrids exchanged worried glances but didn't say anything. They didn't know what to say. So they just turned back to walk to cottage. As they reached the wooden house, Pit let himself slip from Nerolia's back and he dragged himself to the hay-bed. The angel fell on it and turned his face to the wall. Just let this day end already...


	6. Chapter 6

Nerolia sighed and stepped to her bed with Pit laying on it. "Pit?" She asked sheepishly: "Are you okay?" The angel closed his eyes: "Yeah... I'm fine." The centaur turned to for help the harpy who just shrugged. "Well, uhm, before you sleep, may I take a look at your wing? We should change the bandage." Pit nodded and sat up very slowly. Almost fatigued. She let himself fall behind him. With learned movements, Nerolia removed stick and bandage and went over the "elbow" of the wing. "Is it broken?" Pit mumbled and looked over his shoulder. "You had luck." Nerolia said but as if she was in some sort of trance: "No, your wing is not broken but some part of it is slightly splintered." The angel nodded before letting his head sink again. "Aw come on!" Jespa stepped towards them: "You're Palutena's champion, yes?"

"Yes."

"Do you really think that she will leave? Just you like this?"

"Well..."

"You're Pit! Shouldn't you suppose to be this happy-go-luck guy?"

Pit looked up, into her yellow eyes and shrunk together: "I... I am but..." "Then why are you sulking?" Nerolia looked up from her work and her ears flop back. Her tail started to cut the air. Jepsa ignored all of it and fluffed up her feather: "Well?" Pit stayed silent. The harpy shook her head, stepped outside and vanished into the cloud-less night sky. "Please excuse her. She is a bit too blunt sometimes." Nerolia's tail swished over the ground as she spoke. "But she is right." Pit said, more determined: "Lady Palutena would never let me go like that! And if Pittoo is still okay than she knows I am too." With newly found confidence, he lifted his head and wanted to run out but Nerolia was still going over his wing. "So where's Jespa?" The centaur smiled and stood up without replacing the bandage nor placing the stick back at it's place. "She's probably out hunting." "H-Hunting?" She nodded, not giving two cares about it: "Oh don't worry. She only hunts things like owls, mice and maybe a bat or two." "So no... angels?" Nerolia chuckled and started to build a small campfire in the middle of the room and then jumped up to open a small hatch in the middle of the roof by jumping once again up onto her hind legs. "I don't have to eat that right?" Pit gulped and felt his stomach turn already. With a quick, amused eye roll, Nerolia walked over to her table and took a few - seemingly random - herbs: "You can have some of my handmade soup." "A soup?" Pit stood up, careful not to move his injured wing and walked up to her. The wooden table was tall enough to reach to his chin. Well, it is logical that Nerolia would need a taller table, he thought. The centaur began to cut herbs and put them all in a bowl.

"If you want to, you could light the fire." With that she gave him a pair of flint-stones but he had never used the shiny, gray stones. So he walked over to the ring of stones filled with a few branches and leaves. He started to hit the stones together. However nothing happened. Not even a spark. "Come on... Light up..." He cursed under his breath.

Palutena paced up and down along the long dining table of her palace. "Calm down, Palutena." Viridi sat at the table opposite to Dark Pit who was tilting his chair. "I am sure he is fine." The Goddess of Light shook her head and continued pacing. After Dark Pit had returned with the small patrol o centurions, he immediately told Palutena of it. The hoof prints just broke off. They figured the rider had used the raging river to hide them. "After all," Viridi went on: "Pittoo is still up and running so Pit can't be dead." The angel growled. "I know but I am still worried." Palutena sighed. "Why can't you just track him with your All-Seeing-Eye?" Pittoo smirked provocatively and crossed his arms in front of his chest. For once the goddess ignored his tone and answered like normal: "That would take hours. Without his crown I don't even have a hint where he is. He could be in the Underworld as far as I know." Virdi stood up and stopped Palutena's pacing. Said goddess took a deep breath as the other did. "Calm down, Palutena. I'll be sure to send out a patrol tomorrow." "No... Pit's my angel. I take responsibility for this." She took another deep breath, then turned towards Dark Pit: "Pittoo." "My name is Dark Pit." "I want you to lead another patrol in the morning as early as possible." He rolled his eyes and stood up with a short "What ever" and walked to his guestroom which Palutena had made for him. Viridi had one too. The former goddess let herself fall on one of the empty chairs and rubbed her nasal bone. "We'll find him, Palutena. Don't worry." "But I do! I should have pulled him out of that gorge when he fell. I shouldn't have him allowed to climb down in the first place." "You didn't know he'd fall." Viridi sat down beside her, laying a hand on her shoulder sympathetically: "It was bad luck."

"I just hope he is alright." The Goddess of Nature smiled to encourage the tall one: "I'm sure he is. He may be thick and I wouldn't be surprised if his head was empty but he is strong and can take many hits." Palutena looked into the golden-amber eyes: "I know... I know..."


	7. Chapter 7

The soup was amazing. Pit finished first one bowl, then two and then three. Nerolia and Jespa who had returned with an owl in her talons returned, sat down near the fire which Pit had managed to ignite. The smoke flew out the window of the cabin. Nerolia held a bowl in her hands and took small sips. She had tried to convince the angel to eat slower but he didn't listen. Pit avoided to look at Jespa. Not only because he thought she might still be angry but also because him stomach turned and dropped like a roller coaster as the harpy ate the owl. Nerolia didn't seem to mind. Pit guessed she was used to it. Nerolia and Jespa told him about their respective cultures as they eat. Nerolia said that while centaurs might to an outsider seemed aggressive and animalistic but they were able to look into the stars and somewhat read the future from that. Jespa told him about the strong and fierce harpies who could fly through any storm no matter how strong the winds, rain and lightning are. After the fifth bowl of soup, Pit looked into the fire. His eyebrows arched as he was wondering about something: "It's weird." The hybrids looked up. "When ever Lady Palutena read me the stories with creatures like you, " he continued: "she always insisted that you don't exist." Jespa snorted dryly: "That's because she is ashamed of us. All the gods are." Pit looked up, his gaze as if she was crazy: "What?" Jespa looked over to her best friend and she snarled: "Do you want to tell him or should I?" The centaur's ears turned backwards, visibly ashamed. Jespa snorted again and stood up. She stood between the still confused angel and the fire. Her wings flared making her look even more intimidating. Her eyes burned into Pit's. Pit swallowed hard and pushed slightly away from her.

"Has Palutena ever told you what the gods did long time ago?"

"N-No?"

Her feathers ruffled in anger: "Of course she hasn't." Her voice was nothing more than a quiet growling before she lifted it again: "And have you ever asked yourself why the gods don't come in direct contact with the humans?" Pit looked away. It is true. Neither Palutena nor Viridi – even though that was obvious – nor any other god had ever talked to any human directly. "Well, no." Pit felt uneasy under the powerful, yellow gaze: "What is this about, Jespa? What could have the gods done to-" Jespa lifted a talon to silence him. Nerolia sighed, took her empty bowl and put it onto her table. Her ears were pushed against her skull as if she didn't want to hear. "You see, Pit, a long time ago the gods had a strong connection to their subjects. A very strong connection. Many gods even had a certain type of... Fun with the humans. However when the gods saw what that fun brought them, they abandoned both the humans and the creatures they had created. Some of those creatures were even kicked out of Skyworld because they were a constant reminder of the gods dirty desires." Pit listened but couldn't believe what it was he heard. "Gods are to be perfect and shouldn't have fallen victim of those desires in the first place. And to not fall to them again, so they trapped us on the world." Pit looked down at his hands: "But... I am..." His voice fell. He trembled. Gods would never to that! They would never abandon somebody because of their own mistakes! But the words refused to leave his mouth. "The angels were a being made out of pure light not because of the connection between gods and humans. That's why you are allowed to live in Skyworld." She shook her head. Pit growled under his breath and stared up at her with fury: "You're lying! Lady Palutena wouldn't never do that!" He ignored the pain running through his body.

He turned towards Nerolia but she didn't return the look. "This story is passed down from our ancestors and being told to the smallest hatchlings of my kind." Jespa hissed, her voice cutting his ears like a sword. Pit jumped to his legs ready to fight but Nerolia quickly stepped between the two: "That is enough!" One of her front hooves stomped down loudly on the ground: "Calm down, both of you!" She turned towards Pit, her eyes were filled with sorrow: "I am sorry, Pit, it is true but," she turned to Jespa: "Those are the old days. Over thousand years went by." Jespa snorted but Nerolia kept going: "Calm down, Jespa. We are not suffering, are we?" The harpy growled under her breath and stomped away to the door. Pit looked after her with slitted eyes. The two – Nerolia and Pit – stood there until they heard Jespa fly off. Pit looked up at the centaur but said nothing. Nerolia took a deep breath: "We should go to sleep. If you want to be home tomorrow, you should get some sleep first." She took a small bucket with water to draw the flames who died with a loud hiss. Pit watched her but his mind was far away.

Did Lady Palutena do that too? Did Lady Palutena abandoned someone too? No! What was he thinking? She would never ever do something as cruel as that! Not now, not ever! The angel laid down on the hay-bed. But then... Why had she been lying to him about centaurs and harpies and all that other stuff? Did she simply not know about them? No, not with her All-Seeing-Eye... His mind started to hurt from all that thinking. He made a plan to ask Lady Palutena as soon as he was back in Skyworld. Then he turned on his side and closed his eyes in an effort to fall asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Pit was woken up by the first beams of sunlight. The angel groaned and felt like he had only slept ten minutes, perhaps quarter of an hour. He hadn't slept well. Not at all. Jespa's words haunted him even in his dreams. The images were burnt in his brain of all of the gods he had ever met kicking him out. Pit shook himself, his feathers puffed up and he slowly stood up.

Stop thinking that!, he exhorted himself: Lady Palutena would never ever do that!

The cottage was empty. Pit rubbed his eyes clean of sleep and he stretched his arms towards the ceiling. His wing felt already way better but he wouldn't pull away the bandage just yet. What if it gets worse again? With big steps he got out the door. It was a cold morning even if it was summer. The sky was painted in beautiful pinks and oranges. The clouds seemed like small balls of cotton that had been glue on to the sky. Pit took in a long breath and closed his eyes while his head was put back. The leaves around him shook due to the gentle breeze. When he heard the sound of big hooves coming closer, the angel opened his eyes: "Good morning, Nero!" He smiled brightly. "Good morning." The centaur was carrying a set of bags that were securely strapped around her lower back. The bags were closed but the strong smell of lavender was still coming through. She stopped in front of him with a smile as well: "Don't worry. Jespa will tell us when she spots a patrol from Skyworld."

He turned his head slightly: "Jespa? Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"... Is she still mad?"

Nerolia sighed deeply and her ears dropped slightly: "Jespa is a bit... Resentful when talking about the gods. Harpies are very interested in stories and as far as I know, they feel obligated to keep this story in particular alive." her tail moved slowly behind her: "It's said that Skyworld is a complete paradise." Pit scratched the back of his head: "Skyworld kinda is." "I wouldn't be surprised." The two went into the cottage and Nerolia put down her bags. She turned her head towards him: "But don't worry, she'll get over it." "How can you be so sure? I mean, yes, you two are friends but..." His head hang low with embarrassment as he thought about how stupid that question that was. However the centaur didn't seem to mind. It almost seemed like she was used to that question already: "It's kind of a long story. You see, we met when we were just foals – or in her case hatchlings - and now we are kinda like sisters. There is nothing about Jespa that can surprise me anymore." She took out the lavender and put them together in a strong bundle: "After all, you had no idea about the past and what the gods did." He shuffled slightly: "Do you still want to go to Skyworld? Both of you, I mean." Nerolia put aside the bundle and looked at him. Her mind was somewhere completely different as she thought. Then she said: "Well, I don't know to be honest. I am actually pretty happy here." Pit nodded and swallowed down his doubts. He shook his head and wanted to change the subject: "Do you have a hot spring around here?" She smiled and nodded causing Pit to immediately smile brighter than he thought was in the realm of possible: "Where?" With a short flick of her tail Nerolia she motioned him to follow her.

Which he did with a spring in his step. The white-winged angel smiled brightly in anticipation. Nerolia lead him to a small lake. Steam danced on top of the water. But the water wasn't looking like liquid gold as it did in Skyworld. "Are you sure this is a hot spring?" Pit asked and stepped towards the edge. "Of course." "It doesn't look like one." She stepped beside him and examined the water but couldn't see anything wrong with it. Pit shook his head: "Never mind. I could really use a bath in a hot spring right now." With that he jumped into the hot water and even though it didn't have any healing powers, he enjoyed it: "Now that's what I'm talking about." He mumbled and closed his eyes. Pit heard a soft thump as Nerolia laid down in the grass. "Aren't you coming in?" "No thanks, Pit." The centaur picked a daisy and started pulling petals on at a time. Humming slightly to herself.

Meanwhile Jespa was flying over trees and fields. The morning wind caressed her face lovingly. Her eyes went to the clouds overhead as something dark came flying out of one. At first she was just thinking it was a normal raven but no raven would fly that high or into the clouds for that matter. Jespa looked closer. Ravens also don't have arms, hair and they definitely don't wear clothes! Thinking fast she landed on one of the tallest tree's branches and watched the black-winged angel. She had seen him once before. Her eyes narrowed and her sharp talons caused the thick branch to crack. Her shoulders tensed as the angel circled over a few trees not far from hers. Since Pit was under Nerolia's protection, Jespa herself was still angry and Nerolia didn't say that she had to tell her immediately when she saw someone from Skyworld, an idea came to her mind.

Dark Pit kept his eyes locked on to the ground while Viridi made sure he wouldn't crash into anything. _Pittoo! Watch out!_ , the goddess cried but the black-winged angel was too slow. A big shadow buried their claws into his back causing him to fall. Dark Pit turned around while he fell and saw a human-like shadow with huge, gray wings. One of the harpy's wings was slightly burned. It must be the same harpy he shot the day before. Before he could analyze her more, he fell through the trees, hitting many branches along the way down. His back now felt like fire and the branches cut open his legs, arms and a few reached his cheeks. Then he landed on the ground. He could feel a warm liquid run down his muscles but he slowly picked himself up.


	9. Chapter 9

Dark Pit hissed and looked up to see the shadow of the harpy coming towards him. He jumped back to avoid her talons and drew his Silver Bow. The harpy flew up but the branches and leaves of the surrounding trees worked like a huge green cage keeping her down. That gave Dark Pit to target the hybrid with one of his Arrows of Darkness hitting the back of ripped shirt that she wore. The harpy yowled and sprang towards him with shimmering, jet black talons stretched out. He didn't have time to shoot another arrow and was forced to roll to the side. The talons buried themselves into the ground. She hissed and shot back up – at least as far as she could. Dark Pit loaded up another shot and missed her sharp face by a hair. Her blazing, yellow eyes focused on him and Dark Pit glared back: "Is that all you can do?" A confident smirk ran across his lips: "Charge towards me?" The harpy flexed her talons and he noticed her feathers stand on end. She circled around the trees looking for the right moment to attack. Dark Pit however strained his bow and shot multiple arrows in her direction. Only one arrow hit her back since she flew horizontal. She screamed and crashed into the ground. The angel ran up to her as to not give her chance to fly up again. He knew that harpies weren't dangerous when they are pinned to the ground instead of being in the air. Dark Pit pinned her to the ground with one foot: "Giving up?" The harpy growled deeply and squirmed under him. Her gray wings that she had instead of arms hit the ground creating rather strong winds: "Get off me, angel." Dark Pit leaned down and smirked. However a stinging pain ran through his body starting at his thigh. Her talons had buried themselves into his left thigh and blood ran down his skin. He hissed and stumbled back. The harpy jumped to her feet and attacked Dark Pit. He fell back and his bow was being smacked out of his hand. She ripped his clothes and skin while she hissed at him: "You spoiled little thing! Can't take a single hit?" Dark Pit glared up at her standing on top of him like a hungry vulture with her wings flared to both sides.

"Spoiled?" "Why are you allowed to live in Skworld but not we?" He could practically see the jealousy burning in her eyes like a fire. The angel squirmed under her talons: "What are you talking about?" The harpy bared her teeth: "You stupid angels! You're allowed to live up there in your endless paradise while we are down here! It's not fair!" The black-winged angel looked up and held her gaze while his right hand grabbed some dirt: "I didn't choose to be an angel!" He wanted to make her as furious as he could. It would make it easier for him if she was blinded by rage: "I didn't choose to live in Skyworld, you bastard." Her talons clawed at his chest.

The harpy leaned down until there was only a noselenght between them. That gave him the chance to throw the dirt into her eyes. She screamed and with a single kick she fell back on the ground. Dark Pit jumped up, ran over to his weapon and parted them into two blades. His muscles burned and blood flowed over his skin but adrenaline ran through his veins. His heart pounded strongly. The harpy turned towards him and her talons scratched the ground beneath them. The two were about to charge at each other again but a strong voice came out of the forest. Seconds later a centaur with dark brown fur and white spots covering her flanks and wearing a brown vest jumped out of the shrubs. On her fur covered back sat a white-winged angel. _"Pit!"_ The goddesses yelled so loud and so sudden it made Dark Pit flinch. Pit smiled brightly as the centaur came to a hold between the angel and harpy. He jumped from her back, ran over to his twin and hugged him tightly: "Pittoo! I missed you so much!" Dark Pit growled: "Get off me, Pit-Stain! We weren't even gone for one day!" He took out Pit's head wreath and put it onto the other's head. Pit smiled as he heard the voices of Palutena and Viridi rang through his head. Dark Pit put his blades together again and looked over to the hybrids. The centaur's flanks shivered and she glared down at the still furious harpy. Did the two know each other? Pit noticed Dark Pit's expression and pulled his twin towards the hybrids. The centaur turned around and forced a smile on her lips: "You must be Pittoo."

"My name is Dark Pit."

"Pit told us about you." She stepped forwards, her smile more genuine now: "My name is Nerolia and I guess you already met Jespa." Nerolia looked down at Jespa with her dark eyes as cold as ice. The angels looked up at the sky. _"Are you ready to leave?"_ Palutena asked. Dark Pit noticed a small urgency in her voice as if she wanted to get Pit away from the hybrids as fast as possible. "Just a second, Lady Palutena." The white-winged angel smiled and walked towards Nerolia. He threw his arms around her waist since he couldn't reach higher. Nerolia blushed and put her hands on his back creating a weird hug. "I'll be sure to visit from time to time." "I can't wait." Dark Pit felt the same warmth running through his chest he had felt after Pit and Palutena were reunited after the whole disaster with the Chaos Kin. It made him smile. Pit turned over to Jespa who looked away and huffed still mad. The angel sighed and stepped back. Both Pit's and Pittoo's wings glowed and then they shot up towards the hole Dark Pit had created during his fall. Pit looked back one last time at the two hybrids and waved his arm one last time. Dark Pit noticed a small twitch near Pit's left eye that had always been a sign of him being in pain. However Pit still had a huge smile on his face.

Soon after they flew towards the wast lands of Skyworld. In front of Palutena's palace stood Palutena and Viridi.


End file.
